Ranking Every Championship Ground From Worst To Best

[1964white]

[1964white]

Loves the atmosphere at ER, who wouldn't

Agree with Benjamin on our facilities too

[1964white]

Also agree with his character rating on Fulham's ground

[1964white]

So what are your favourite grounds ?

[Muppet the Cat]

Obviously can only comment on the ones I've been to

Firstly, I think the older grounds win hands down for atmosphere which is a key tick in the box when rating a top ground IMO.

I'll perhaps start with some London grounds that I rated (as they're no longer there) the Boleyn Ground/Upton Park and White Hart Lane - both 'proper' grounds with good atmosphere, albeit often hostile as an away fan but to be expected. Also I quite like QPR - compact, but you get the whole end.

Never been to Stamford Bridge or Emirates (although have been a few times to Highbury) or Palace

Interested to see what others think

[gessa]

Weirdly I tend to remember the crap ones more than the good.

Best- Celtic Park.
Worst - Baseball Ground but there are many more.
Most disappointing- San Siro (concrete Jungle)

[Muppet the Cat]

Weirdly I tend to remember the crap ones more than the good.

Best- Celtic Park.
Worst - Baseball Ground but there are many more.
Most disappointing- San Siro (concrete Jungle)

Completely agree Ges. Given its almost iconic status it was a let down

The only World Cup finals I've been to was Italia '90, when me and a mate went over, with no specific plans. Ended up going to Sampdoria in Turin, San Siro and Bologna (which was great).

[Gandalf]

Ben needs to get rid of that Ipswich scarf, and admit that he is a Leeds fan. BTW Easy to park at Elland Road - WTF

[1964white]

Obviously can only comment on the ones I've been to

Firstly, I think the older grounds win hands down for atmosphere which is a key tick in the box when rating a top ground IMO.

I'll perhaps start with some London grounds that I rated (as they're no longer there) the Boleyn Ground/Upton Park and White Hart Lane - both 'proper' grounds with good atmosphere, albeit often hostile as an away fan but to be expected. Also I quite like QPR - compact, but you get the whole end.

Never been to Stamford Bridge or Emirates (although have been a few times to Highbury) or Palace

Interested to see what others think

Indeed Upton Park & White Hart Lane were proper old style grounds.

Last time I visited Stamford Bridge was in the 90's with the Leeds fans situated at the top of a steep stand, scary when standing as I felt like if there was a surge we could have the domino effect on our hands.

Loftus Road has character but the views are poor especially in the away end so much so you can't see the goal line plus there are plenty of posts obscuring ones view.

The Emirates is very plush, padded seats & great views especially if you are positioned halfway up the stand. Great facilities such as their bars, refreshments, toilets, etc, very different to Highbury which had much character but once again the view was poor in the away end.

[1964white]

Ben needs to get rid of that Ipswich scarf, and admit that he is a Leeds fan. BTW Easy to park at Elland Road - WTF

Yes with ER just off the M621 it has easy access to the ground but I always found the parking a nightmare unless I arrived there extremely early which I believe Ben does, as I've used our local SC coach to ER for the last nineteen years it's not a problem for me!

Ben is definitely a Ipswich fan but he is basically a neutral fan following championship football and with fans like him he must love watching Bielsa ball as he won't see much of our style of football in the 2nd tier of the English league. Leeds are certainly his 2nd team.

[1964white]

Weirdly I tend to remember the crap ones more than the good.

Best- Celtic Park.
Worst - Baseball Ground but there are many more.
Most disappointing- San Siro (concrete Jungle)

Baseball ground was awful, Ayresome Park even worse!

[gessa]

Baseball ground was awful, Ayresome Park even worse!

Ewood Park was another Sh!t tip but I chose The BG because the view was the worst of any ground.

[whiteswan]

Ben is definitely a Ipswich fan

I'm going to have to have a word with his Mum ( who lives in our next village) to sort him out and get him into Leeds United colours

[Finnatic]

Favourite is Villa Park (first went when old 2nd division)
Not the worst ground but worst experience was the Den - getting shot at by a kid with an air rifle in a high-rise, then penned in the corner on tiptoes stuck behind the floodlight generator
We lost to a late penalty, plus it was a 11am KO

[rich_leeds64]

That was a very honest review by Ben and I feel he got it pretty much spot on.
My first away day was a league cup tie at Huddersfield in 1974 then in the late 70s I started regularly travelling up and down the country watching the mighty whites visiting some cracking “old school” grounds with vast terracing, some with weeds growing, old wooden seats, asbestos roofing and primitive facilities. They sound awful compared to some of today’s sterile new stadiums but they had real character especially when you were penned in to an away end and scored and everyone jumped up and surged forward with bodies bouncing about all over the place.

As mentioned in earlier posts the London grounds West Ham, Spurs, Chelsea we’re always great to visit but could be a real tense affair and not for the faint hearted it was the same at Liverpool, Everton, Man C and Manure but with the all seater ruling coming in a lot of the atmosphere was lost and older grounds were demolished to make way for the new generic stadiums, facilities greatly improved but there was just no character.
I was lucky to be in a position to travel throughout Europe during our successful spell late 90s early 2000s visiting the Nou camp, Bernebau, San Siro, Mestalla, Stadio Olimpico but the best was a ground I went on a stadium tour of and that was

Best: Ajax Amsterdam arena, superb

Worst: Withdean Brighton, a basic athletics ground, scaffolding stands, shocking facilities, miles away from the pitch and you got soaked when it rained

[billie1]

Worst grounds I’ve been to were Luton , and Brentford back in the 70’s and Portsmouth ( the 3-3 draw with Leeds in 88/90 ) . They may be better now but back then , they were pretty grim .

[1964white]

Worst grounds I’ve been to were Luton , and Brentford back in the 70’s and Portsmouth ( the 3-3 draw with Leeds in 88/90 ) . They may be better now but back then , they were pretty grim .

Those three were grim Billie, Luton still is!

[Muppet the Cat]

I once went to Blundell Park, Grimsby (although watching Lincoln, not Leeds) in 79/80ish ??.

The term 's**t hole' didn't get near to doing it justice.

Also I remember Mansfield as being grim (although to be fair more from fear of getting an absolute kicking than the ground itself) !!

[1964white]

That was a very honest review by Ben and I feel he got it pretty much spot on.
My first away day was a league cup tie at Huddersfield in 1974 then in the late 70s I started regularly travelling up and down the country watching the mighty whites visiting some cracking “old school” grounds with vast terracing, some with weeds growing, old wooden seats, asbestos roofing and primitive facilities. They sound awful compared to some of today’s sterile new stadiums but they had real character especially when you were penned in to an away end and scored and everyone jumped up and surged forward with bodies bouncing about all over the place.

As mentioned in earlier posts the London grounds West Ham, Spurs, Chelsea we’re always great to visit but could be a real tense affair and not for the faint hearted it was the same at Liverpool Everton, Man C and Manure but with the all seater ruling coming in a lot of the atmosphere was lost and older grounds were demolished to make way for the new generic stadiums, facilities greatly improved but there was just no character.
I was lucky to be in a position to travel throughout Europe during our successful spell late 90s early 2000s visiting the Nou camp, Bernebau, San Siro, Mestalla, Stadio Olimpico but the best was a ground I went on a stadium tour of and that was

Best: Ajax Amsterdam arena, superb

Worst: Withdean Brighton, a basic athletics ground, scaffolding stands, shocking facilities, miles away from the pitch and you got soaked when it rained

Ben is very knowledgeable on championship football, he's probably seen more games than I have this season as he travels the breadth of the country every weekend to watch games. I recall he attended two games in a day, firstly a lunchtime game then an teatime kick-off. He also fits in his beloved Ipswich games so he obviously spends much time & money gathering information for his blog.

I have to say I was impressed with the new-look Anfield stadium when we played them in the League Cup,
that new stand down the touchline is stunning especially under the floodlights

[1964white]

I once went to Blundell Park, Grimsby (although watching Lincoln, not Leeds) in 79/80ish ??.

The term 's**t hole' didn't get near to doing it justice.

Also I remember Mansfield as being grim (although to be fair more from fear of getting an absolute kicking than the ground itself) !!

Grimsby & Mansfield are grim Cat